We’ve all been urged to plant more trees to help tackle the climate crisis and nature loss.
But as the UK will experience wetter winters and warmer summers, which species can withstand the changes can be difficult to predict.
Now Britain’s top horticulturalists are preparing a guide to the best trees to plant in gardens to help combat climate change.
A five-year trial at the Royal Horticultural Society’s gardens at Wisley in Surrey has set out to determine different species’ abilities to withstand flooding, help with cooling the atmosphere and suck carbon from the air.
The Mirror visited the Wisley research facility where some 60 trees have been planted.
Each one is connected to a series of probes and sensors measuring sap flow and soil moisture.
Species include hawthorn, Sorbus ‘Olympic Flame’ Italian cypress and blue spruce.
Dr Elisabeth Larsen, tree scientist at the RHS, explained that whatever the final results of the study, individuals can make a big difference.
She said: “Gardeners have the power to improve their local environment by making informed planting choices.
“Aesthetics often play a role in decision making but, even more so, people are looking for guidance on what plants can help them overcome issues such as pollution, noise and temperature.
“More than half of all UK gardens are thought to have at least one tree – that’s 11 million trees – and so understanding which can help alleviate two of the most pressing seasonal problems could stand to make a huge difference over the coming years.”
She is currently tracking leaf area, stem growth and photosynthetic rate in order to determine each tree’s ability to survive hotter summers and wetter winters.
Although it will be a while until the initial results come in, trees like hawthorn have a fast carbon absorption rate and as they are native, they’re good for wildlife too.
‘Olympic Flame’ can withstand winds, while fast-growing evergreens, such as spruce and holly, are good for flood protection as they have leaves all year round.
Early findings will be made available, including a talk and interactive display at RHS Hilltop, a state-of-the-art science facility at RHS Garden Wisley that opened last year.
- For more information visit rhs.org.uk/hilltop
